The instant invention relates generally to hunting accessories and in particular to a protective guard for the action and scope of a rifle or a shotgun. Deer hunters and other big game hunters often purchase very expensive telescope sighted rifles which are vulnerable to bad weather, including rain, snow, mud, moisture on underbrush that the hunter is passing through. These moisture sources are the beginning of corrosion which can mar or even ruin expensive equipment. Even in dry conditions a scoped rifle or a shotgun can be easily damaged by sand, dirt, or even dust. A typical hunting trip can cost as much as $25,000. A rifle with scope can cost $1,500 to $5,000 or more while a shotgun can cost as much. Considering the cost of a hunting trip and the cost of equipment, and the expense that replacing such equipment, means to protect the weapon from moisture and dirt, while enabling the hunter to quickly make the weapon ready to shoot are needed. Currently, scope guards are available but their protection is limited to the scope itself. Zippered gun cases which cover the entire weapon are also in widespread use, but their use can delay a hunter's first shot, completely defeating the purpose of the hunt.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,361 discloses a protective cover for a firearm comprising magnets sewn into its lower hems with draw cords sewn into its end hems. In use, the cover of the '361 patent is wrapped around the action portion of a firearm so that the magnets close the lower hems if the cover while the draw cords are drawn and tied so that the ends of the cover more closely engage with the firearm. The draw cords of the '361 are untied and the cover is removed when the hunter is ready to use the firearm.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,559,168 discloses a protective cover for a firearm comprising a cover to be draped around the action portion of a telescoped sighted firearm, the cover comprising an elastic cord defining a scope-covering pouch area. The cover of the '168 patent is draped around the action of the firearm and the elastic cord is pulled and locked in place to enclose the telescope sight in a pouch area of the cover. The cord lock of the '168 patent is released and the cover is removed when the hunter is ready to use the firearm.
The covers disclosed in the above cited '361 and '168 patents were an advance in the art but they are not as easy to use or as quiet to use as desired. A more easily and quietly removable, protective guard for a scoped rifle or a shotgun, to protect the scope as well as the action area of the rifle or shotgun is needed in this art.